Semi-Well-Known Author, Yoga Dude Seeks Donations for Yoga School

Neal Pollack is an author, a blogger and a dedicated dad. He’s also a self-proclaimed yogadork. We know, because that was almost the title of his new book, STRETCH: The Unlikely Making of a Yoga Dude, due out this fall ’10. With a subtitle like that, and if you’re familiar at all with Neal’s regular Faster Times column, we probably don’t need to elaborate much further on the subject matter (psst.. it’s about the unlikely makings of a yoga dude). But, did you know in continuing his journey on the road to yogi teacherdom (and promoting his book) he’d been accepted to one of the most prestigious trainings in the US? Mr. Pollack was lucky enough to be selected to train with Richard Freeman at The Yoga Workshop in Boulder, CO. Fantastic! The problem? Pretty much what almost any yogadork could agree is a major blow to the nadis (especially in this economy), but which we’ve also learned keeps many great yoga studios afloat (especially in this economy): TUITION. Tuitioooon. Tuition! (sung a little like Fiddler on the Roof). It’s almost $3k all included to attend Richard Freeman’s 200-hr teacher intensive, which frankly is on par with many other trainings you’ll find these days (many close to $4k). So what did Neal Pollack do? He asked for your help! And many responded with cold hard cash. Really! Below you’ll find his kickstarter widget and his yoga dude missive.

By now he’s super close to his goal of $4,200 to cover all expenses and support his fam while he’s away all of June, and we have no doubt he’ll reach it by the March 28 deadline. That’s not why we posted this. The whole idea of raising money for yoga teacher training is incredibly intriguing and we hope Neal makes it as we’re looking forward to reading about his journey into the depths of his soul, er, the path of intensive teacher training. He’s got enough name recognition to pull off asking for $1 to $1,000 donations in exchange for autographed books and other goodies without seeming self-righteous or lame, mostly. But if an accomplished author, or his publishers, can’t afford to send this aspiring dude to yoga school how are the rest of us yogaschmoes supposed to pay for it?

Lesson? Teacher training is freaking expensive and it’s a commitment. Set up your tip jar now.*

PS. If you’re up for it, by all means send Neal a donation, and be sure to tell him YD sent you.

I have found that website to kickstart my dream of opening a center for low income people in my area — offering yoga and meditation to people of color who don’t have access to the same holistic services that white bread suburbia has. wish me luck.

Well, it may as well be you, Neal Pollack. Maybe you will soon choose to do a video or go on one of those streaming sites to reach those of us who may take a private lesson or two, but due to time/money crunches, mostly practice at home–or just the plain private people or fickle–no matter what the bank account. You are also the right age for us–the newly-disenfranchised from yoga culture (age 40+ … my, how the tables have quickly, recently turned on us.)

You are even more videogenic than my live (young, attractive, limber) yoga teachers, and that is saying a LOT.

Anyone who practices yoga with any video that I might do will either end up bored or injured or both, and probably fast. Such a video is years away, if it ever appears at all. I also pretty much only practice at home, for reasons of money and also boredom with the mob mentality of the places where the “best” teachers are. Once in a while, I descend from my perch for a workshop or a training or just to see other humans.